Food vendors raise money for flood victims at State Fair

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Thousands of people were out for the North Carolina State Fair's final day with the weather cooler but still bright and sunny. However many who are still struggling to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew couldn't be there.

"I personally have been there several times," said Rick Kibler, "working with groups trying to help these people. So I know how badly this affects these families with small children, the elderly."

ABC11 spoke with Kibler inside the popular, very busy fairgrounds restaurant run by the Cary First United Methodist Church. Many customers who stopped by for the famed ham biscuits served there left generous tips inside a large glass jar at the cash register. That money goes directly to a United Methodist charity that ministers to those affected by the floods.

"They really need a lot of help. When you're totally devastated, your house is just completely turned upside down, you can imagine what that would be like to rebuild," Kibler said.

Another food seller at the fairgrounds is donating money to the recovery. John Lund of the North Raleigh Exchange Club did brisk business as people bought bags of the North Carolina peanuts he sells.

Those nuts, grown in Duplin County, were harvested and packed before the big storm hit. He worked to increase his sales so he could help others more.

"Sales are down this year, Lund said. "I think there's a lot of folks down in the east who would love to come up here but they've got more important things to think about right now. We have a number of clubs down in that area that have been affected, in the Kinston area, primarily. So we want to earmark some of this money to get down there, help that community."